Ginger Electronic ZXmore Manuel utilisateur
ZXmore & ZXmaster
User manual
designed by ginger-electronic.com
V1.9 - 06/2016 ZXmore & ZXmaster – user manual age 1 from 29
Contents
ZXmore & ZXmaster.......................................................................................................1
User manual..........................................................................................................1
Description:...................................................................................................................3
Connectors:...........................................................................................................4
Keyboard:.............................................................................................................5
First steps ith ZXmore:.................................................................................................6
ROM S itch...........................................................................................................6
Reset s itch..........................................................................................................6
Handling ith double-shift (DS)...............................................................................7
S itch to instance (DS-0 to DS-7)............................................................................7
Reset, arm boot, cold boot (DS-R).........................................................................8
Po er Mode (DS-P)................................................................................................8
Compatibility mode (DS-C)......................................................................................8
LOAD via USB (DS-L)..............................................................................................9
Debug functions:..........................................................................................................10
Test mode (DS-T).................................................................................................10
USB load test (DS-L).............................................................................................10
Update function:..........................................................................................................11
Update USB firm are............................................................................................11
Update ZXmaster through external update utility......................................................12
Recover of broken ZXmaster instance (emergency update)........................................13
Changes in release 1.7:.................................................................................................14
Speed optimization...............................................................................................14
ASCII mode / 128 char display mode......................................................................14
Load utility (load via USB).....................................................................................15
Debug monitor (DS-D)..........................................................................................16
Changes in release 1.8:.................................................................................................17
Configuration of instances......................................................................................17
Tools (load, save, debug)......................................................................................18
Changes in release 1.9:.................................................................................................19
Multitasking Mode.................................................................................................19
Extended SAVE.....................................................................................................20
System backup and restore....................................................................................20
VDRIVE interface..................................................................................................20
Appendix.....................................................................................................................22
Technical data ZXmore (hard are).........................................................................22
Features ZXmaster firm are..................................................................................22
Hard are concept of ZXmore.................................................................................23
Hints for programming the latches..........................................................................27
Legal notices........................................................................................................29
Disclaimer...........................................................................................................29
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Descri tion:
This manual describes the operation of ZXmore ith the supplied firm are ZXmaster.
ZXmore is an 8 bit computer system hich is compatible to many systems based on the Z80
processor, especially to the Sinclair systems ZX80, ZX81 and ZX Spectrum plus the CP/M
system developed Digital Research (*). Programs and data can be stored on and read from a
simple USB flash medium (USB drive).
It is possible to use a serial terminal via an optional USB/RS232 adapter or just use the inbuild
keyboard and connected monitor or TV to the video connector in 40 char mode. An USB flash
medium ill also be used as disk drive to store and read data via CP/M.
The ZXmore is equipped ith an inbuild keyboard ith 40 keys, a video (RCA) connector for
use ith monitors or a TV (composite video monochrome) and 2 USB host ports for connection
of USB mass storage devices and other peripherals. Original hard are modules for ZX80 or
ZX81 can be used via the build-in expansion port (slot edge connector).
The ZXmore has 512k flash ROM and 512k RAM hich is divided into eight separate instances
ith 64k ROM and 64k RAM hich overlaps in the 64k address room. The border bet een ROM
and RAM can be moved in steps of 4k in any direction. The first instance (0) maintains all
other instances and deals ith additional hard are like USB peripherals, video output and
keyboard input.
The other seven instances can be configured ith different options and different operating
systems (firm are ROMs) hich can be operated in parallel changed by keypress or even in
multitasking mode. Several systems or firm are ROMs can be used concurrently ithout
starting them ne hen they are s itched. The memory layout can be configured individually
per instance and any additional driver can be loaded during startup.
The firm are ZXmaster handles the configuration and operation of all instances or operating
systems. The available ROM images to be used ith the ZXmore are published under GPL or
CC (creative commons) and may be used freely by the user. These additional firm are ROMs
are not part of ZXmaster and ZXmaster is not based on these ROMs. ZXmaster can clone any
Z80 system and is not fixed on some special ROM as long as hard are drivers for dealing ith
video display and keyboard are available or adapted.
More technical information on ZXmore, ZXmaster and available firm are ROMs to use or
supported are available in the appendix.
The manual refers to the first release 0.9 of ZXmaster ith basic functionality hich ill be
improved ith ne er versions from time to time.
(*) The current available release 0.9 of ZXmaster supports only programs for the systems ZX81 and ZX80 and loading
programs from a USB flash medium. Further releases support saving program and data on USB as ell as support of
ZX Spectrum ith monochrome display and use of CP/M.
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Connectors:
In the picture belo you ill find all connectors of ZXmore:
Reset allo s reset of the current instance and return to the ZXmaster control soft are.
Power is a 3.5mm audio jack for connection of a po er supply ith 9V DC, 250mA.
Polarity is plus at the tip and minus at the ring of the plug. Alternatively the ZXmore can be
supplied ith po er ith a USB po er supply (5V).
USB represents t o host ports and can be used to connect flash drives or other peripherals
Video is a RCA jack for connecting a monitor or TV as display ith corresponding input.
The signal is of type composite video monochrome.
EAR is used to connect an audio cassette recorder to load a program from an original ZX80 or
ZX81 cassette (for compatibility). Optional for ZXmore V2.
MIC is used to save programs or data to an audio cassette ith audio signals instead of USB.
Optional for ZXmore V2.
Slot edge connector is the expansion port for using ZX80 oder ZX81 hard are add-on's.
ROM Switch can be used to s itch the instances manually in
position 1-7 or by control of the ZXmaster soft are in position 0.
Positions 1-7 can be used ith ZX80 or ZX81 only (corresponding
firm are ROM programmed in flash ROM assumed) due to a
suitable default configuration.
ZXmaster can configure the ZXmore for some more firm are
ROMs like for ZX Spectrum or CP/M.
Optional for ZXmore V2.
J12 can be used to choose a base i/o address for the additional
hard are features provided. Default address to be used should be
0x7C up to 0x7F but may be changed by the user hen additional
hard are requires this address. More information on usage of i/o
addresses can be found in the appendix of this manual.
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Keyboard:
The ZXmore is equipped ith a keyboard ith 40 keys in a matrix of 4 x 10 keys.
The allocation ith key ords and functions differs from the chosen ROM in the instance (for
example ZX80 or ZX81) und is only for the letters, numbers and some special chars identical.
During construction of ZXmore you have to decide hether to use the ZX80 or ZX81 keyboard
layout.
The firm are ZXmaster allo s translation of one keyboard layout into another to use the same
layout for different ROMs. Loading and starting programs do not require special key ords.
LOAD and RUN are identical for both layouts. Different layout is a matter only during active
programming.
Layout ZX80:
Layout ZX81:
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First ste s with ZXmore:
The ZXmore can be operated as desired ith manual s itching of the ROMs or alternatively
ith soft s itching via the keyboard ith ZXmaster.
ROM Switch
Position 1-7 choose a specific ROM firm are hich
must have been programmed before in the flash
ROM.
Only 8 positions are used from that s itch, 8-F have
the same function as 0-7. Position 0 selects the
ZXmaster control soft are hich allo s soft s itching
and even multitasking on request.
Position 1-7 are useful only for ZX80 and ZX81
compatible ROMs because of a default setup after
s itch on for RAM and ROM size and position and
some other control signals. Manual programming of
the internal registers is described in the appendix.
A colored LED (rgb) sho s the active instance ith a different color regardless if the instance
is running from the manual s itch or from ZXmaster control soft are:
0 = dark/off
1 = blue
2 = green
3 = cyan
4 = red
5 = violet
6 = yello
7 = hite
Manual s itching has the highest compatibility because the ZXmaster control routines are not
used and can not disturb any unkno n program ith some maybe hidden feature / hard are
control. But some functions are not available in manual operation liek change of keyboard,
s itching of instances, USB drivers for loading/saving data and some special display modes are
maybe not available.
Additionally the parallel operation of several instances is not available and after every s itch
the system is reset and does a ne po er-up (clear of RAM, etc.).
Reset switch
The reset s itch functions different depending on the context used. In manual operation
(position 1-7) the s itch does a cold start of the running instance. When pressing in position 0
the ZXmaster s itches back to instance 0 and does a arm start only. In this context the
instance information, status, RAM contents, etc. are not destroyed and can be continued hen
s itching back to these instances later. The last running program ill be continued.
It is possible and likely that the last running instance here reset as pressed is lost or
crashed as the last status could not be catched by the ZXmaster firm are and a restart may
fail. But all other instances are „frozen“ and can be continued after s itch back safely. Due to
the concept ith o n and dedicated RAM areas the other instances can not be disturbed under
normal circumstances.
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Handling with double-shift (DS)
After s itching on you should be elcomed ith the start screen:
All control commands of ZXmaster function ith a double-shift key (DS shortened in the
manual) by shortly pressing the shift key t ice consecutively and a second key after (sho ed
invers in the start screen.
The key have to be pressed short and fast – the maximum timeout bet een t o keys may not
exceed 1 second for save detection. The reason for this control keys is that the normal ROMs
like ZX80 or ZX81 ouldn't influenced ith this key combination (double-shift has no special
meaning).
All double-shift keys are processed from the ZXmaster only and not detected by the
running instance.
Switch to instance (DS-0 to DS-7)
With DS and 0 to 7 you can s itch to the desired instance. If the instance is first used it ill be
automatically initialized and a second call ill just continue the program in the instance. The
firm are ZXmaster saves the information for all instances and stores all registers in memory
and the instruction pointer.
Instances can be interrupted any time by s itching to another instance and are continued after
s itching back. Technical the s itching is based on NMI hich are catched automatically from
instance 0 hich handels all necessary action. Even the keyboard processing is done by
instance 0 only and ill be injected to the current instance.
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Reset, warm boot, cold boot (DS-R)
Additionally to the reset s itch it is possible to perform a reset by soft are through pressing
DS-R key combination. Used in instance 1-7 the current instance ill be restarted. Pressing the
reset s itch ill do a change to instance 0 but only ith a arm boot. There are circumstances
here a cold start is required hich can be forced by pressing DS-R in instance 0 hich ill
reset all other instances as ell.
A short interrupt of the po er supply results in a arm start only. There maybe situations
here an instance may hang or crashed and pressing DS-R for a single instance on't ork
because the display file is corrupt for example. In this case the instance 0 doesn't get control
back and all double-shift commands on't ork anymore. It is recommended to press the
reset key follo ed by a DS-R combination in instance 0 to solve this.
Power Mode (DS-P)
The default clock speed is 3.25 MHz for ZX80 or ZX81 hard are.
The effective clock speed is
much lo er ith approx. 0.81
MHz because the display
routines require much time of
the cpu and the user program
is interrupted many times.
The ZXmore can compensate
this disadvantage by doubling
the clock speed outside the
video routines to 6.5 MHz. The
resulting speed increases a bit
more than double due to some
more hard are optimizations.
The imaged screenshot sho s
the unofficial benchmark for
ZX81 systems and the speed
increase ith ZXmaster in
version 0.9
Sometimes a program may not ork correctly or maybe too fast. If this annoying the speed
can be changed to 3.25 MHz only hich is handled per instance. It is possible to active a fast
and a slo instance for example. Every DS-P key combination changes speed in current
instance from lo to fast or fast to lo consecutively.
Com atibility mode (DS-C)
The firm are ZXmaster supports the smooth operation of ZX81 instances. There may be
situations here a program used ith ZX81 does not behave in the same ay as on real
hard are. The compatibility mode may be chosen by the user in these cases to get a most
compatible environment by the price of losing control through ZXmaster hich can be
reactivated by pressing the reset s itch hen needed. Especially HRG programs executed in
version 0.9 may not display an image as the video handling is different.
Whenever programs do crash or not behave in the same ay as expected there may be a good
choice for the compatibility mode for these programs to run better. If the speed should be
decreased or a program loaded via USB flash disk this can be done first and then pressing
DS-C after.
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LOAD via USB (DS-L)
The USB loader can be started ith DS-L from any instance (in version 0.9 only for ZX81).
The loader message appears
ith its version and the name
of the desired program can be
typed in. In the current release
the loader orks only for files
in the root system and 8.3
format file names (no LFN
support in this release).
The loading speed is about
150kByte / second and due to
technical reasons in FAST
mode only. So the screen may
flicker shortly hen loading
data or programs. The USB
flash medium should be
formatted ith FAT32 and file
names my entered ith chars,
digits and the point separator
for file names only.
Even long programs should be loaded instantly or at least ith a delay of a fe hundred
milliseconds only because programs normally should be smaller than 16kByte. So loading ill
be finished in pretty less than a second. The very first acces on a ne inserted USB flash
medium/drive may have a bit more latency.
If the requested file could not be found the error code 65535 ill appear (maybe just a typo).
If the USB medium/drive is not inserted or maybe rong formatted, the error code 65534 is
displayed. The loading can be aborted by pressing DS-L again in the enter mode. The
displayed error has to be confirmed by pressing any key.
If the instance 0 is called after loading data in another instance there may be displayed some
status information like the loaded filesize.
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Debug functions:
Test mode (DS-T)
ZXmaster does not respong to normal key presses but to double-shift combinations. With DS-T
a test mode can be activated for keyboard testing.
The proper function of any key
is possible in this mode hich
ill just over rite the screen
ith the pressed character.
Only the base characters are
printed like 0-9, A-Z, dot and
space.
A press on NEWLINE ill put a
dash on the screen (-) and
SHIFT ill print the inverted
char. Additionally the scan
code of the key is displayed in
the first screen line plus some
status information.
USB load test (DS-L)
In instance 0 the load
command does not load a file
into the instance memory as
program but sho s the
information found hile
displaying the first and the last
128 chars as hex values on
screen.
First the status code is
displayed (FF00 for file found
on disk) follo ed by the size in
bytes and follo ed by the first
and last datablock.
Possible timing or loading
problems could be investigated
ith this feature. Normally a
file ill end ith a $80 char as
mark of End of VARS section
(E_LINE).
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